The Self-presentation and Self-development of Serious Wildlife Tourists

The notion of self-concept and choice of tourism products has yet to be applied to wildlife tourism. The question of how consumers perceive themselves is considered fundamental to understanding purchase and consumption behaviours. This study is based on ‘serious’ wildlife tourism participants for whom studying fauna and flora is the primary motivation for travel. The findings demonstrate how the ‘culture’ of ‘serious’ wildlife tourism is made up of individuals who differentiate themselves from other tourists in terms of dress, behaviour, development of skills, equipment and intellectual capital illustrated by their desire to scope, identify and photograph wildlife.